5 countries where it's relatively easy for Americans to become expats

Lots of people are talking about leaving the US now that Donald Trump has become the next president-elect.

With that in mind, we've looked into some of the easiest countries to immigrate to as an American. While actually moving to a new country is never a simple process, it does help if you're a skilled worker with some disposable income.

For skilled immigrants, Canada has an express entry program. Simply fill out the form online, and you'll see how many points you have. Points are awarded based on your skills, education, languages you speak, and whether you have a job offer waiting for you in Canada.

Candidates with the most points are invited to apply for permanent residence. Applying for a permanent residence will set you back $490 CAD ($365 USD).

If you want to move to Mexico, the first step is buying an FMM visa for only $21 USD, which you can do upon arrival. The FMM visa — only valid if you don't intend to work — works for up to six months, and you can renew it indefinitely.

Svalbard

If the thought of President Trump scares you so much that you're willing to permanently relocate to a tiny archipelago north of the Arctic Circle, look no further than Svalbard.

While technically part of Norway, Svalbard's 2,642 residents are largely self-governed. And unlike the rest of Norway, the Immigration Act doesn't apply to Svalbard — meaning that no residence permit or visa is required to settle in Svalbard. You just need to buy a plane ticket.

While Svalbard is probably the easiest place to immigrate to in the world, living there is tough. The average temperature in the winter ranges from -12 to -16 Farenheit, and you won't see the sun between October and mid-February. And don't mind the polar bears.

Sweden also scores high on expat quality-of-life rankings, with a strong education system and environmentally-friendly policies.

But Sweden, like other Scandinavian countries, has high taxes and a high cost-of-living.

If you want to move to Sweden, you can start the process online. A residence permit will set you back 1000 Swedish krona (approximately $117 USD.)

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New Zealand

New Zealand.
TripAdvisor

New Zealand is arguably one of the most beautiful countries on the planet. Beyond the filming locations of the "Lord of the Rings," New Zealand offers countless opportunities for outdoor recreation and some pretty cool cities to boot.

New Zealand has chronic skills shortages. It's so bad, that three-quarters of CEOs in New Zealand think that skills shortages are the biggest threat to their businesses, according to a 2015 survey by the consulting firm PwC.

If you work in the oil-and-gas, agriculture, or even the snowsports industry, you'll have a relatively easy time securing a work residence visa.

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Bonus: United Arab Emirates

Dubai, UAE
Kamran Jebreili/AP

On paper, the United Arab Emirates seems like a pretty attractive place to move. An astounding 84% of the country is foreign-born, according to the Migration Policy Institute's review of UN estimates, and its oil-and-gas riches have fueled the rise of gleaming cities, like Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Citizens and residents of the UAE also pay no income tax, as in 0%.

But that's on paper. In reality, many of the UAE's immigrants, who come from impoverished countries countries like Nepal, are foreign laborers and suffer from repressive employment conditions and a lack of basic human rights.

And the UAE's economy is inextricably linked with the price of oil, so when the price of oil is low, the economy suffers. That's not to mention the UAE's regressive stances on gender equality.